Cruelty free Christmas gift ideas 2016

So as I write this, there are 5 weeks until the big day. Each year it feels like it comes around quicker and quicker, probably because I’m not the Christmas shopper that buys all the gifts required for the next Christmas in January sales, nor am I the shopper that begins gift hunting in September. In fact, I actually hate gift shopping, so I do the absolute minimum and leave it down to my mum. Gift wrapping on the other hand, I really enjoy and that’s how I spend my time in the days leading up to the holiday season.

I’ve picked out 6 of my favourite gift sets this year. Three of the gift sets will be from the high street and the other three will be from department stores/online, all of them will be cruelty free and vegan/vegetarian as indicated. I’ve chosen neutral gifts as it can be really difficult buying beauty gifts that have appropriate shades that would suit the recipients skintone, unless you know them really well or they experiment with colour.

High Street picks

Makeup Revolution HD Pro Strobe Revolution Gift Set – strobing is still bang on trend and this kit has some really beautiful highlighter shades that are multi purpose and would be suitable for any skintone. Makeup Revolution is available at Superdrug, they cannot claim Vegan status at this moment in time but it is something they are looking in to.

Barry M Cosmetics Sunset Nail Beauty (6 pack) – the polishes contained in this gift set are quote heavily featured for this season and the next. It doubles up great for gift art too if the recipient is that way inclined. Although not everything in the Barry M range is vegan, this gift set is.

The Bodyshop whilst this isn’t exactly a product, I’ve chosen the Bodyshop as my third high street favourite for christmas gifts this year. They are running a campaign where for every selected Christmas gift you buy, the Bodyshop will help protect the lives of endangered animals and restore 1 squared metre of rainforest in either Vietnam, Indonesia or Malaysia. The Bodyshop is a cruelty free and vegetarian/vegan brand where stated however the parent company they are owned by is L’Oréal which unfortunately still tests on animals.

Department store

Urban Decay ‘Naked the Perfect 3Some Vault’ limited edition trio – I’m going to start off by saying this isn’t a bargain because if you divide the price of this vault by three, you get the same price as what you would pay for the palettes individually but for packaging this is definitely a win and investment. I already have the original and third palette so it wouldn’t be a great gift for me personally but I love the two palettes I already have, I use them almost every day and anyone who received this as a gift would feel very special indeed. Urban Decay is 100% against animal testing and most of its products are vegan, again however their parent company is L’Oréal.

TOO FACED
Merry Kissmas lip colour set – this is the perfect gift for anyone who loves a liquid lipstick. These aren’t full sized although you’re not missing out, I have so many full sized lipsticks now that it would probably take about 3 years to get through by which time they have exceeded their best before open jar symbol and become a health hazard, all the colours are suitable for everyone. Too Faced does not test on animals.

Lush Rubik’s and chill – I just love Lush prodcuts as they smell devine, this is the perfect gift for anyone who is obsessed with the brand. Lush does not test on animals and are cruelty free.

As for my main makeup gift this year, I’m getting the Urban Decay Vice XX limited edition palette which I was hoping to get for my birthday but I was unable to as it only reached the country in July.

Another gift I have my eye on is the Mary Loumaniser by the Balm but that might have to wait until my birthday 25 days later…